Dricus du Plessis
Active 2020–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 91.0
Scouting report
Making history as the first South African undisputed UFC Middleweight Champion by defeating Sean Strickland and submitting Israel Adesanya, Dricus "Stillknocks" du Plessis reached the top of the division. Hailing from Welkom, South Africa, Du Plessis overwhelms opponents with awkward forward pressure, blitzes, and competitive will, his attributes featuring a 91 Strength rating and 91 Durability score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Du Plessis burst onto the UFC scene between 2020 and 2021, scoring knockouts of Markus Perez in round one on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi and Trevin Giles in round two at UFC 264 in Las Vegas. His striking power, blitz hooks, and physical strength are reflected in an 84 Boxing and 83 Wrestling.
Du Plessis completed a championship ascension between 2022 and 2024, outpointing Brad Tavares, submitting Darren Till, stopping Derek Brunson, knocking out former champion Robert Whittaker in round two at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, and dethroning Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto to capture the UFC Middleweight Championship before submitting Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth. His power, wrestling pressure, and pace justify his 88 Boxing and 90 Cardio.
Dricus du Plessis and the awkward style that beats good fighters
Dricus du Plessis began judo at five, wrestling at twelve and kickboxing at fourteen, and at seventeen he became the first South African to medal at the WAKO World Championships, winning gold in K-1 style kickboxing. He won titles in South Africa and Poland before reaching the big stage. He then won the middleweight belt in January 2024 with a split decision over Sean Strickland, becoming the first South African champion in the division. Analysts call his striking and takedowns unorthodox, and he says he cares more about what works than what looks right.
What each du Plessis rating means
Boxing. Rated 88. He throws a high volume of strikes to the head, body and legs, and he knocked out Markus Perez in round one on his debut in 2020.
Kickboxing. Level with his boxing. The K-1 kickboxing gold is the base, and his leg attacks are part of the constant forward pressure.
Wrestling. Also 88. He started wrestling at twelve, and takedowns are part of the pressure he applies.
BJJ. The lowest number on his card, though still a strong one. Several early wins came by guillotine choke, and he tapped Darren Till in round three in 2022.
Strength. The top of his card, tied with durability. He walks opponents down at middleweight.
Durability. Also at the top. He fought through hard exchanges and won by face crank on Israel Adesanya in round four in 2024.
Cardio. Very high. He beat Strickland twice across five-round fights, once by split decision and once by unanimous decision.
Fight IQ. He adjusts inside a fight. He lost a rematch to Roberto Soldic in Poland in 2018 after knocking him down with a left hook in the first fight.
Strength and durability, both 91
Two ratings tie at the top of his card, strength and durability at 91. It fits how he wins. He stopped Robert Whittaker in the second round in July 2023 and Derek Brunson by corner stoppage at 4:59 of round two, so the power and the ability to keep pushing under fire work together.
BJJ at 85 is where he has room
His BJJ is the lowest of eight strong numbers, and the 85 still sits above much of the pool, so this is a narrow gap. Early in his career he lost by guillotine choke to Garreth McLellan in the third round, and Soldic knocked him out in a 2018 rematch. A slick grappler who can threaten from the bottom is the kind of opponent that tests him.
Keep exploring
Closest middleweight profiles to Dricus du Plessis, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Robert Whittakerbest cardio 92 · weakest bjj 80
- Chris Weidmanbest wrestling 93 · weakest kickboxing 80
- Marvin Vettoribest durability 93 · weakest kickboxing 80
- Sean Stricklandbest cardio 95 · weakest bjj 78
- Middleweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Dricus du Plessis's strongest attribute, Strength.
Draft Dricus du Plessis into your build
Dricus du Plessis enters the pool on any spin landing on middleweight between 2020 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Dricus du Plessis is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Dricus du Plessis's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.